For Arthur's Magazine. THE SEWING SOCIETY. BY MISS HARRIET KING HERE 'S a ring at Priscilla Longly to her sister, as they sat at work, one November morning. "So it is. How provoking. Who in the world can it be so early? How very disagreeable it is, to be able only to afford one fire;-we are sure to be disturbed here." By this time the unwelcome visitor was admitted, and, before another minute, a neat dark bonnet appeared at the parlor door. "Good morning, Sally," said Priscilla, jumping up, and letting her work fall on the floor. "Good morning! Come in, do. You must take us as you find us; all in confusion." "How are you, Priscilla? how are you, Emeline?" and giving each offered hand a vigorous shake, Miss Sally Thomson took a seat near the fire. "I hope I don't disturb you." "Oh no! We are only at our sewing." "What are you making?" "I am turning my old cloak. Ma will not let me have a new one, this winter, and I am trying to fix this one up. I think, with a little fur round it, it will be quite smart: As to Emeline there, she is covering a bonnet, see! is it not pretty?" now." "Yes, indeed; we are very fortunate in being able to get him for our church. He had calls to the East, West, and South, he told Pa. Pa called on him when he first came here; it was but civil, you know. He returned the visit last Thursday week, and I can assure you he is a great deal handsomer in a room, than in the pulpit. His eyes are not blue at all, but a lovely hazel." "Oh, I wish we knew him. We live so very retired, and see so little company." "But I am forgetting what I came for; it is to ask you to come and join our sewing society in the vestry room. We meet there every Friday, and sew for the poor. Really, it is very pleasant. There are fourteen of us now, and the elder members say that is not half enough. Do join, won't you?" "I should like to, very much, would not you, Emeline?" "No," replied Emeline, "I cannot say I would." "Oh, you foolish thing! why not!" "She does not know how pleasant it is Why, child, you will hear more news there, than at any other place in the town." "That is the very reason why I should decline going. I once heard a sensible and truly pious old lady remark, that every young woman had an obligation to sew for the poor, but that the experience of many years had taught her that this duty could be as well performed, and Yes, very. Oh, they wear such gay things even better, at her own home, than in a vestry "Too gay entirely. Did you see Sarah Lewis in church, last Sunday? Really! such a hat as she had on; orange and blue, and red, and green. I saw Mr. Allen's eyes fixed on her several times, whilst he read prayers. I actually felt ashamed of her. By the way, do you know Mr. Allen ?" room. I, myself, have never attended any of these meetings, but from all I can gather, I think there is more news stirring than industry. Is it not so ?" "I wonder you can talk so, Emeline! Why, it is really delightful, and they say Mr. Allen intends to visit the Society, once a month, at their sitting." "I think he does; but you will join us, will this neighborhood, that would be likely to join ?" you not, even if Emeline is so silly?" "Yes. I will, indeed," returned Priscilla, with animation. "Put on your bonnet, then, and come with me. I am going round to two or three houses, to get the girls to join." Priscilla got ready, and the two friends set off, in haste. "Let us stop here at Seldon's," said Sarah Thompson. "I think Ellen will join. "She 'll make a pleasant member; she 's so talkative." Ellen Seldon soon promised to be in the vestry room, at half past ten, the next Friday, and Sarah Thompson enlarged upon the pleasures she was to expect. "Let me see ;-there is Miss Simpson on the other side of the way, a very active person in Bible Societies, and Sunday Schools; suppose you go over there." So over to Miss Simpson, Priscilla Longley, and Sarah Thompson went. Being ushered into the parlor, they found Mrs. Simpson, a very old lady, sitting entirely alone. She was so infirm as to be unable to rise to meet them. They say it is religion: well! may-be it is-in that case, I ought not to complain; but my dear young people, it does seem hard to me, after having brought up my daughter, that her duties should every day call her away from "Mrs. Elters will be there, next week; shecieties, and the old and helpless are left alone. is very entertaining. She was a mantua maker before she was married, you know, and used to go out to work, by the day; and, of course, she saw a good deal. She knows all the particulars of Mrs. John Smith's case, the one who was separated from her husband three years ago." "I remember, yes." me." But do you disapprove of these societies, "She says she was there one day, sewing, ma'am?" asked Priscilla Longley. and Mrs. Smith did nothing but cry." "I should like to see somebody, who knew all about them. One hears such different stories. I want very much to know whether it was her family that disapproved of the match, in the first instance, or his." "His, I believe; but I will ask Mrs. Elters, and I know she will tell you all about it, for she was Mrs. Smith's intimate friend at the time." "And will she speak of it to any one?" "Oh, yes," replied Sarah, "to any one, at all. But you have agreed to join us; have you not ?" "Yes! I think so. I think from your account, it must be a pleasant place." Not entirely so; but, moderation in all things is a good rule. God has said that the poor shall never pass from the face of the earth. But our duties to the poor are not our only duties. Now, as to these sewing Societies, let me tell you, that if every one of you, instead of going with your thimble and scissors to a meeting for the purpose of sewing for the poor, would do the same amount of work at home, it would be much better. I am sure in my case it would be much better. My daughter is scarcely ever at home with me, and if I say any thing, the answer is, The business of the society must be attended to.'" At this moment, Miss Simpson entered. "I know nothing about it, except what Sarah mother! How are you, young ladies!" and has been telling me." "Oh!" said Sarah, "you will soon both know as much as you please about our proceedings. We do a great amount of work. By the way, did you know that Emily King's step-{ mother treats her very badly?" sitting uneasily down, Miss Simpson panted as if it were July. After a few minutes general conversation, our young ladies entered upon the object of their visit. Oh, yes, to be sure," replied Miss Simpson, I shall be delighted to attend, although I have my hands full already. Friday at ten o'clock !—I am glad it is not Saturday, for the Sunday school teachers meet then. have a fair for the western missions, and I have been sewing for that for seven weeks. I have cut up four yards of new silk for pincushions We are to and needlebooks. You may expect me, though. I shall be there. Does Mr. Allen intend visiting the society at their work?" not sew at the society, it does not follow that I must do nothing at all or the poor, does it?" "But will you?" "It is said he does," and Sarah and Priscilla To be sure I will. You know mother is rose to go. Miss Simpson accompanied them a in the habit of making up a great deal of clothpart of their way, and then left them, to attending, every fall, for several poor families, with a meeting having for its object a mission to the whom she has long been acquainted. I am going South Sea Islands. to assist her, in this, and have already put by a portion of my allowance for the purpose." Punctually at half past ten, on the next Friday, the ladies met in the vestry room of Church. The following is a summary of all that was done : Fifteen coarse muslin garments cut out, and five ladies at the other end of the town discovered to be very extravagant and careless housekeepers-one of them actually dirty. These facts were proved beyond a doubt by the repetition of conversations held with servants, who had lived in their families. Eight night caps finished, all but the strings, and a gentleman set down as positively meaning nothing at all by his attentions to Miss Patton, poor thing! who was so delighted with him, she could not keep it to herself. During the day, Priscilla could not resist the temptation of repeating some of the amusing anecdotes, related in the morning, until checked by Emeline, asking, « Did you hear all that, at the society?" Shortly after, Mr. Allen called upon every family in his congregation. But contrary to the expectations of the sewing society, he never visited them at their weekly meeting-this somewhat decreased the ardor of the members. A few weeks after the events we have described, Miss Simpson called upon the Longlys to state that a meeting had been held in the Sunday school room for the consideration of a proposition made by her, namely, that the members of the sewing society should assemble, not at the house of the clergyman, because he was a bachelor, but at that of one of the members, for the purpose of making him a new The question of woollen or cotton stockings was then entered upon with great vehemence, together with the probability of Mr. Allen's choosing a wife out of his own congregation. An account was given by the visiting depart-gown, an attentive observer in the front pew ment, of the state of destitution existing among having detected several thread-bare places in the a number of families, in the suburbs, and a reci- one now worn by him. tal made of the great anxiety occasioned to old Mrs. Lee, by the conduct of her sons, one lady hinting, that, to her certain knowledge, the married one was no better than the rest, as his unfortunate wife was a perfect slave to him. Eleven yards of hemming done, during which numerous anecdotes were repeated, tending to demonstrate the meanness of Mrs. H.'s dress, the stupidity of Mrs. B.'s husband, the wretched complexions of the whole R. family, and Miss S.'s miserable voice; Miss V.'s cloak was judged not to be in good taste, and Mrs. A.'s coat to have now seen seven winters, which was deemed extraordinary, considering the high { rent she paid, and the expense she was at in educating her children, actually putting them to one of the best schools in the place. "Oh! Emeline," said Priscilla Longly to her sister, upon her return home, "how mistaken you were in not joining us this morning. We really had a very pleasant time." "I am glad to hear you were pleased." "It is very well for you to look so grave, and to profess to disapprove; it is an excellent excuse for lazy people, who prefer staying at home and doing nothing." "I am not lazy, Priscilla. Because I do "I would have liked," said Miss Simpson, "to have it at our house, but mother would not hear of it-old people are so strange. She said she had no objection, if the gown were really wanted, to pay for the making of it, but that she would not have the meeting held at her house." "I think your mother is perfectly right,” said Emeline. "Would it not be much better to give this piece of work to some poor woman, and pay her for it?" "Oh, no, we cannot afford that; there are too many calls upon the society, already. Come, Priscilla! say, shall we hold our meeting here?" "I should be very glad, but I do not know what mother will say; I will go up and ask her." Mrs. Longly yielded to her daughter's entreaties, and the meeting was held at her house, the next day. Thirteen young ladies, with thimbles and scissors, made their appearance, and the work went on fast; so did the conversation, the subject of which was Mr. Allen. Some wondered why in the world, he was seen to pay attentions to any body; never others were afraid he never would; and all agreed the coveted post was a very desirable one. When the labor was nearly completed, a messenger came in haste to notify Miss Simpson that her aged mother had been seized, when alone, with a sudden and violent illness, and her death was hourly expected. { useful and ornamental, were arranged in two lines. A confectioner sent a large cake, and every thing was in a state of readiness. By eleven o'clock the ladies took their stands behind their respective tables, and awaited the approach of customers. Customers came in crowds-bought a great many things they did not want, for which they paid enormous prices, having neither the satisfaction of getting their money's worth, nor the pleasure of giving. Mr. Allen had promised to come to the fair, and more than one lady shopwoman for the day The gown was presented to Mr. Allen, with becoming grace, and received with thanks, deemed by some of the donors inadequate to the occasion; and fears were entertained that he thought the ladies' activity not sufficiently active. Preparations for a fair were immedi-watched the door with anxiety, hoping to fix ately set on foot for the benefit of western missions. It was thought, from the amount of work to be done, that it could not be held before six weeks. Great was the search for ribands, silk, and velvet, gold thread, &c. "Will not you help us, Emeline ?" asked Priscilla. "See how much there is for us to do. I, myself, have ten workbaskets to trim this week. Look! this is the way I do them." I really do not think I shall have time. I have a great deal to do, just now, for poor Mrs. Reeves, and her seven little children; they cannot wait much longer for their winter clothing." "You are always so disobliging, it is too bad. I wonder what in the world, Mr. Allen would say, if he knew that when all the congregation are so industrious, you alone refuse to take the smallest part, in the proceedings." "I cannot help it, Priscilla; if the missions need money, I shall, of course, consider it a duty to devote a part of my allowance to them; but I cannot find time to make kettle-holders, and knit bags for the fair." "As you please; but you do not know how much pleasure you miss. One gets so interested in every separate article, and so anxious for every thing to sell well." For the next six weeks, more than twenty young ladies spent every moment of their time in working for the fair. We do not mean to say, that, during that space of more than a month, they never slept, ate, or drank, but that this was the business of their lives, to which every other duty was sacrificed. On Sundays, hands and eyes rested, but not tongues-coming home from church, what was talked of but the fair? Miss Simpson's mother died in a few days after her attack, so that this indefatigable young lady was precluded from a share in the preparations, precluded even from being a buyer. At last, the important day came. The Sunday school room was hung with evergreens, and tables covered with varieties of pretty things, him permanently on this occasion, but twelve, one, two, three o'clock passed, and Mr. Allen did not make his appearance. "Where can he be ?" asked Miss Mason of Priscilla Longly. "Where in the world? I wonder." "He certainly said he would be here." "So he did, what can have happened to keep him away?" said another. "Five years at least." "He could not have such bad taste." At this moment Mr. Allen came in, and Have you heard the new engagement," asked Miss Simpson of two or three female friends, who paid her a visit in a darkened chamber, a few days after the fair?" "No," said they. "Mr. Allen, to be sure! "Mr. Allen!" screamed the visitors. "Yes, Mr. Allen. I wonder you have not heard it." "To whom ?" "To Emeline Longly." "It is impossible. I don't believe he knows her to speak to." "Perhaps you mean Priscilla. He walked home with her from the fair." "I mean Emeline. I had it from her own mother who was here this morning." "Emeline Longly! it is very extraordinary." |